What’s Love Got to Do with It?

A repost of a Reboot podcast by two of my favorite investors and Jerry Colonna

Once you slip, it’s hard to catch up. While this applies to startups and entrepreneurs, I am talking more about me falling behind my blogging schedule. I missed my Sunday post again (thanks partly due to the late post last week and partly due to wonderful food in Fukuoka where I spent a relaxed weekend off, in most parts, of technology) and I am not proud. I promise I’ll be back on schedule this week although I don’t think many people will even notice. Not yet.

So instead of writing a hurried crappy article, I just wanted to share one of my favorite podcasts by two of my favorite VCs. Fred Wilson and Brad Feld. I have learnt a lot from both of them, without them knowing it, thanks to their daily posts, and they are the inspiration for this blog.

https://www.reboot.io/episode/45-whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-fred-wilson-brad-feld

I strongly urge you to listen to the full thing during travels etc, as you’ll get some unique insights into how effective (or not) can VCs be in a company and how to prepare your team and company for messy situations.

Just highlighting some sections here:

8:00 — Fred and Brad talk about why we (VCs) need to think of the best interests of the company and not the investment.

19:50 — Brad talks about the three kinds of investors he usually runs into boards and why it’s essential to have a Category of investors who are calm during stormy weathers and support the CEOs

37:25 — Brad talks about a excruciating experience and comes out with “they can’t kill you and they can’t eat you, let’s go to battle”

50:05 — Brad talks about making sure that the directors and CEO are putting in the right kind of energy into the board to make sure when the shit hits the fan you can function effectively

Hope this helps some of you founders out there and see you on Sunday.